Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica
It seems to me I’m spending a lot of time either looking up or down. I’m constantly surveying the trees for the elusive sloth or monkey and I look down so I don’t trip over things like rocks or big ditches. I actually do look ahead too. That’s a good thing to do in life. Keep moving forward. The alternative is not good so I choose to keep looking ahead for possibilities, experiences and opportunities. In Costa Rica, let’s be honest, most of my time looking ahead is done while driving. I look ahead so I don’t hit any dogs, potholes or “reductors”, otherwise known as speed bumps!
Brent and I left the La Fortuna area after picking up my license that my sister shipped to me. I’m so grateful to her for doing this as I can now help with those long hauls and to be honest, those curvy roads can be quite fun to manoeuvre. So, with me behind the wheel, we left the Volcano!
Most locals are mixed about the Caribbean side of Costa Rica. Most advised us to drive straight through Limon and not to stay long in any place. Most said to go to the Pacific side instead. Here’s the thing with advice. You listen to it and either follow it or don’t. We chose not to follow it this time which proved to be a good choice.
We drove the six (ish) hour drive to get to the Caribbean side, specifically Puerto Viejo. While driving in Costa Rica, remember that the driving times stated on various apps isn’t always accurate as they don’t take into account the conditions of the roads, the hard rains in the mountains, accidents, construction and a combination of all four. During our drive to the the east side, we had all four and it proved to be a long day.
We arrived late afternoon and booked into the Bugabutik Hotel for two nights. Earlier, we decided not to stay too long as we have other places to explore, and two nights was just enough to get the vibe of the place.
It’s obvious people come here to surf the incredible waves and chill out. The town has a bohemian vibe to it; picture a lot of banana bicycles and almond milk. You’ll also hear plenty of reggae music and see signs of a Rastafarian culture, reflecting the Jamaican background of many residents.
We didn’t have a lot of time, so we spent it on the beach and visiting the Jaguar Rescue Center. The center focuses on the rehabilitation of animals so they can be released back into the wild. Unfortunately, they receive in the area of 500 injured animals a year due to mostly human behaviour; namely electrocution, getting hit by cars, stupid people keeping them as pets in horrendous conditions and dog attacks. I learned a lot on our tour and it seems the staff are doing great work. If you want to donate or learn more about the center, just click the link above. If you go to the area, please visit as they make a good part of their money through ticket sales.
Although, we weren’t there long, it was enough for Brent and me. We were growing a bit weary of the rain and not ever getting quite dry. We experienced on and off rain the entire time in the La Fortuna area, including three solid days of rain prior to leaving. Yet again in Puerto Viejo, except one day of pure sunshine. Listen, I’m not complaining too much, it’s just an observation. I mean it’s the rainforest after all. We were blessed to experience its beauty.
Here is our latest Youtube video. Costa Rica / La Fortuna
